DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 22, 2013) – Communist rebels freed an army soldier and a policeman they captured in the southern Philippines, a spokesman for the group told the Mindanao Examiner.
The New People’s Army said Private First Class Jezreel Maata Culango, of the 60th Infantry Battalion, and Police Officer 1 Ruel Pasion who were captured separately on January 17 in Compostela Valley province were handed to Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte fetched the duo in the province, a known stronghold of the NPA, which has been fighting for decades for the establishment of a Maoist state.
A rebel spokesman Rubi del Mundo said the release of the Culango and Pasion was in response to the decision of the National Democratic Front in Southern Mindanao to free the prisoners of war.
The release of the prisoners came two days after the rebels declared a unilateral truce in the towns of Kapalong, San Isidro, Asuncion, New Corella, all in Davao del Norte; and Laak in Compostela Valley on February 19
Del Mundo said the captives were investigated by the NPA before their release to determine whether they were involved in human rights abuses or anti-people military operations in the provinces.
“As an act of humanitarianism, the NDF deems it appropriate to archive the documentation pertaining to its preliminary investigation against the two POWs who were involved in the 60th Infantry Battalion and Philippine National Police’s counter-revolutionary and anti-people military operations in Compostela Valley and Agusan boundaries,” Del Mundo said.
“The investigating body formed by the NDF found the two POWs to have committed lesser offenses, and thus recommended for their release. This, however, does not prevent the revolutionary forces from initiating future arrest against the two POWs should they be found to commit crimes against the people and other human rights abuses.” (Mindanao Examiner)
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